Journal Entry: Shane Andrew Smith-09/30/2024-Changing the System

Journal Entry

Today’s Response:
I would like the BOP to actually implement the First Step Act as it amended the various statutes. Six years after it became effective, the BOP still doesn’t follow the statutes related to the FSA. They don’t give GCT credits of 54 days per year up front as the statute states and even their own federal rule agrees. They don’t offer all the recommended/needed programming to the inmates with the “2 year requirement” when those programs are first recommended at team meeting, they don’t “offer every inmate the opportunity to participate in EBRR and PA’s during their ENTIRE term of incarceration”, and they use a simple calendar to give FTC’s for the programs that inmates actually are able to participate in. These are on in contrast to the law, the very statutes the FSA amended.

So, until the governing body of the BOP, that being the Department of Justice, makes the BOP actually follow the law, then we will never the changes to the American prison system that Congress intended.
That’s the key, how do you make the BOP accountable to follow the law and provide the GCT credits, FTC credits, programs, and actually release people to pre-release custody when they are legally eligible???

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